Canadians suffering with Hepatitis C have new hope that they can get the medications they need. Currently there are over 300 000 people in Canada who have been diagnosed with the disease. There is medication available that will cure the disease, but only if they or their provincial health insurance will cough up the hefty amount needed. A 24 week course of the medication which produces little or no side effects and can eradicate the virus from the liver may cost up to $80 000 Cdn. This would be for about 24 pills.

People who have some liver disease, but it isn’t at the stage to cause immediate failure cannot obtain the medication through their publicly supported health care system. Some people may obtain treatment if their condition is dire enough.

While the medication marketed under the name Sovaldi is hugely expensive some countries reject the pharmaceutical company’s patent. Now an organization, Drugs for Neglected Diseases, has entered into an agreement with an Egyptian company to produce the drug. The course of treatment is predicted to be about $300 Cdn.

Egypt is one of the countries hardest hit with the viral disease with approximately six million cases. Worldwide, there are about 140 million people with the disease. It kills about half a million people each year.

To begin with, the drug will be sold in Malaysia and Thailand. Sufferers of Hepatitis C are hoping that the sales will begin in Canada as well.

Hepatitis C is the leading reason for liver transplants in both the US and Canada. It has been described as a silent disease in that symptoms don’t usually appear until the liver begins to fail. There are numerous ways that a person may be exposed to this virus. Some of the routes follow:

Injection drug use, sharing equipment

Blood transfusion and organ transplants before 1992. This virus infiltrated the blood supply and many people were infected via life-saving blood transfusions. Changes have been made.

Sexual transmission

Tattoos and body piercings done under less than sterile equipment

According to the CDC, millions of Americans are infected with the virus but don’t know it. They recommend that a wide swath of people be tested.

If you had a blood transfusion before 1992

If you are on hemodialysis

If your immune system is compromised

And here’s the real kicker:

If you were born between 1945 and 1965, you need to get tested, even if you are symptom free now.

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